James m



(No Model.)

J. M. DAVIBS. SKIRT SUPPORTER.

No. 555,682. Patented Mar. 3, 1896.

JflmES UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE..

JAMES M. DAvIES, or GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN, ASsIeNoR oE ONE-HALE rroCHARLES H. KAHLER, oF SAME PLAGE.

SKIRT-SUPPORTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 555,682, dated March 3,1896.

Application filed July 16, 1895. Serial No. 556,189. (No model.)

To LZ whom, t Duty concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES M. DAviES, a citizen of the United States,residing at Grand Rapids, in the county of Kent and State of Michigan,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Skirt-Supports; andI do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in skirt-supports, and moreparticularly to supports for lady bicyclists skirts and its object is toprovide the same with certain new and useful features hereinafter morefully described and particularly pointed out in the claims7 referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 shows theposition of the skirt when my device is used. Fig. 2 is a detail showingposition of my device when in use; Fig. 3, an enlarged detail to showconstruction, and Fig. 4 a detail of the adjustable fastening.

Like letters refer to like parts in all of the figures.

A is an ordinary belt having a buckle D, to which is secured a ring B toreceive a loop in one end of the cord C, said cord having a similar loopat its other end adapted to engage said belt at the side opposite saidbuckle. To the ends of said cord are attached the plates E at E', andafter forming said loops said cord is passed through the openings E insaid plates and then returned through the openings EW, thus forming afastening which will not slip, but may be adj usted to lengthen orshorten said cord, as desired. Said cord C being attached at each end tosaid belt A, its intermediate portion hangs downward, as shown in Fig.2, forming a loop, and to the lowest point of saidloop are attached theclasps F, adapted to engage the lower edge of the dress-skirt at pointsdirectly at the front and rear. To said cord C, near said clasps, areattached the ends of the cords G', and to the other ends of said cordsare attached the claspsH, which clasps, when a portion of the skirtdirectly at each side is brought up and the lower edge drawn tightlyabout the leg, engage said edge and hold the same in place.

By fastening that part of the skirt which is directly at the side aboutthe leg I bring the fullness of said skirt between the legs, lthusgiving room to step, and by bringing the bottom of the same toward theknee and fastening it there said skirt will fall over said bottom infolds,where it is fastened about the leg, and'have the appearance ofbloomers.

The cord C supports the skirt between the legs and may be adjusted bymoving the fase tenings E to any desired height, while clasps F on saidcord hold the front and rear of the bottom between the legs and preventthe said fullness of said skirt from slipping from one side to the otherof said cord. By this ar rangement of parts I provide a device wherebyan ordinary dress-skirt may be quickly and easily arranged to appearlike the ordinary bloomers worn by lady bicyclists and to have alltheconveniences thereof.

I do not wish to confine myself to any particular form of belt, cord, orclasp. A chain may be used instead of a cord and any convenient form ofclasp or fastening may be used; but

NVhat I claim isl. A skirt-supporter for the purpose specified,embodying a waistband, a main loop depending` therefrom and arranged tosupport the skirt between the wearers limbs, fasteners on said loop forengaging 'the front and rear of the bottom of the skirt, and cords eX-tending from said loop and provided at their free ends with fastenersfor engagin the edge of the skirt.

2. A skirt-supporter for the purpose stated, consisting of awaistband, amain loop depending from the center thereof and serving to support theskirt between the wearers limbs, a plate to which one end of said loopis secured, said plate serving to lengthen and shorten the loop andhaving a plurality of openings through which the latter extends,fasteners projecting from the "lower end of the loop to engage the frontand rear of the bottom of the skirt, and cords, each secured at one endto the bottoni of said loop and ning Jche halves of the skirt around the1re 1o having :L fastener at its free end, for the pu1'- speetive limbsof ihe wearer, substantially :is pose specified. described and for Juhepurpose specified.

3. rlhe'herein-dese1-ibed skirt-supporter, In testimony whereof I affixmy signature consisting of L waist-beit, a loop having its in presenceof two witnesses.

ends seenred to the front and beek of said JAMES M. DAVIES. belt, saidloop supporting the skirt in divided VVibnesses: condition between thewearers limbs, and LEWIS E. FLANDERS,

fasteners extending from Jnhe loop for con- SARAI-I A. MOULTON.

